Exploring the lived experience of successful managers: A narrative inquiry

This aim of this study is to understand the lived experience of senior managers in banking industry and to outlines the factors that they consider critical in the development of their own careers. Ten managers from Bank Mellat were selected and semi-structured interviews were planned. By applying a qualitative research approach, narrative inquiry was implemented. During a six phase narrative thematic analysis of data, two different approach to career success was identified; the first was career success as an achievement and the second was career success as an endowment.
When successful managers consider the career success as an achievement, they introduce three factor named human capital, social capital and motivational capital. While seeing the career success as an endowment, psychological capital and spiritual capital become more important. Main contribution of study is developing a comprehensive model that describes career success factors. Findings provide practical implications for designing and implementing management development programs.